The praxinoscope, which was invented in 1877 by Charles-Emile Reynaud, is an animation device wherein a strip retaining a plurality of sequential animation images is retained facing inwardly in an annular configuration by a cylindrical outer wall. A plurality of mirrors, each typically flat, are disposed to form a generally annular, faceted inner wall spaced from the outer wall. The walls, mirrors, and images are placed so that the reflections of the animation images appear to be essentially stationary in position as the praxinoscope is rotated.
With this, a viewer observing the images through the mirrors perceives a rapid succession of images. These rapidly changing images give the illusion of motion, which derives from persistence of vision and what is referred to as the phi phenomenon. Under the phi phenomenon, human instinct tends to cause the observer to seek to create continuity between images that are viewed in quick progression. With persistence of vision, a flash of light presented by an image remains on the retina ephemerally.
A number of skilled inventors have developed variations and improvements on the original praxinoscope. However, to obtain effective animation, the praxinoscopes of the prior art have invariably required precise manufacturing processes and relatively expensive components, including particularly the mirrors that together form the faceted inner wall. The complicated equipment and meticulous assembly procedures necessary to proper performance have generally limited the applications of praxinoscopes to expensive educational devices and collectibles. Indeed, original praxinoscopes relied on individual glass mirror facets applied to wood forms. The resulting devices were invariably delicate and presented some risk of danger should a mirror become dislodged or broken. Furthermore, some elaborate devices provided individual adjustment screws for each facet. More recently, injection molded praxinoscopes have permitted certain levels of production, but they nonetheless require complex and expensive production methods and manufacturing equipment. With this, praxinoscopes have unfortunately remained generally inaccessible to the consuming public.